Take Me Out of Your Veins
by Shiny Red Cape
Summary: Little reaction fic to the 'my heart led me here' sneak peek for 4x07. Written before seeing the episode.


The echo of his words still shivered in the air. There was a coldness dulling her inside; there's more than one way to freeze a heart.

"I know that". She has to swallow before she can get the next words out. He steps forward, to... comfort? Perhaps he hasn't thought that far, perhaps the need to touch is itching in his palms as it is hers. Magic glows around his feet before he can take more than a step, bringing back memories of another time. He obviously remembers too, because when his gaze returns from the floor it's suspicious.

"Regina?", a question and a warning. His eyes track her movement as she turns away to a small table on her right.

"I've got something for you", there, she'd said it. She shows him a vial, the viscous black liquid shimmering with something, like a rainbow on oil. He doesn't like this, has seen that resolute look in her eye before and couldn't stop her then either.

"What is it?"

"A gift"

His expression doesn't change, remaining flat and uncompromising. Yes, she had rather thought he'd need more than that; they were too far gone for any of this to be easy.

"A memory potion"

He takes that in with surprisingly little reaction, save his horrified eyes darting from bottle to face.

"Absolutely not" He reaches for her again, instinct overriding sense, and catching himself with a curse as the force against his still glued feet threatens to topple him. "Regina, Absolutely. not. You can't seriously expect me to choose to erase what I feel for you".

There's a brief, jagged silence, and suddenly she seems older. No, not older, more frail. Like little pieces of herself are collapsing inwards. There's a coarse gravel running through her voice as she replies "No, I don't suppose I did". A puff of smoke and the container is gone from her hand, but somehow it doesn't reassure Robin. He's still stuck, and now something else is happening here.

"Regina?" that thread of fear he can't hide hurts more than she thought it would. She never expected to hear it from him. She hates the slow, hot tear making its way down her cheek, wishes she could have held it back a little longer. Wishes she could have ended this conversation with at least the illusion of strength. He starts to speak again and a wave of her hand silences the sound. She can see him frantically, fruitlessly, trying to cry out for her, but keeps the string of magic tight. If this is to be the end, she doesn't think she could bear to hear him say her name again.

"I wanted to keep you" she tells him. "If not physically by my side, then in my-" heart. No, she can't say it, stumbles over the word, "-head. I wanted to remember, no matter how painful, that I had the capacity to love. And that once, despite everything I am-" she sees him mouth the word were but still continues, "someone loved me back".

She moves a little closer, willing him to understand. "The honour keeping you with Marion? It's a part of what makes you who you are. But if you keep coming to me like this I don't think I can keep begging you to stay away; one day I'm just going to beg you to stay. And if you do? You'll betray the honour that's so fundamental to you. The guilt will grow until it causes you to hate, first yourself and then everybody else". He's stop trying to speak now, just staring at her, hands limp at his side with own eyes threatening to fill.

"Take it from someone who knows," she tells him gently, "one you let the darkness in, there's no getting it out. I would rather live without you completely than have that happen to you".

Confusion marks his brow for a moment as she takes a step back to the table, but then he sees it.

A second vial.

He erupts in movement, straining to get to her. Uncaring of the hard landing on the stone floor as he sprawls, reaching out, lips begging silently for her to stop.

"I'm sorry for this Robin, but if we can't live happily together, than at least I can give this to you. I can't make you drink the potion, but I hope you do. It's waiting for you in your tent, and this vial is spelled to send you there when its empty"

Please, he mouths. Please no.

"True Love's Kiss can't break this spell, because I won't be able to remember my feelings" (Anguish, pure and true on his face) "I wish I could have done this differently, believe that if nothing else. but if you drink the potion this pain will be gone. Please, for my sake, give yourself a chance at happiness".

She downs the liquid and a blinding flash engulfs his twisting form. He wakes heartsick, lying alone in his tent, the potion next to his head tormenting him.

It was time to choose which woman he would fight for. 


End file.
